Lawyers of remanded NDC executives in the Akwatia Constituency have accused the government of manipulating the judiciary and the police. They say the government through the police and courts has unjustifiably arrested and remanded their clients. About eight activists of the NDC were arrested for their roles in the seizure of 11 ballot boxes in the Constituency during the December 7 elections. They were arrested after police investigations indicted them and were charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and committing robbery. The accused persons were rearrested and remanded in police custody today following new evidence uncovered by the police. But one of the defence lawyers, Kwejuga Adawudu told Joy News the arrest and remand of the suspects was premeditated. “Credible sources and information I have had is that it is the Attorney-General (Joe Ghartey) who had advised that they should be charged with robbery because all the offences we were charged were misdemeanour and they were bailable”. He said the new charges are non-bailable and since the courts will be on recess, the suspects will be disenfranchised. However, the Akim Oda Divisional Police Coomander, ACP Ben Atadana has refuted the allegation of political interference. He said the police followed due process in arresting the suspects. According to him, what the suspects did was purely criminal and a felonious offence. “They possibly robbed Electoral Commission of their electoral materials and vandalised them, and that amounts to robbery because they did it with violence. “We acted in line with court procedures and the administration of criminal justice,” the police officer explained. Story by Malik Abass Daabu